A.K. Roy
A K Roy : the Raremost Politician of the Coalfield By AJIT ROY, in his book 'HISTORY OF DHANBAD' Though, in undivided Manbhum, Purulia Sadar Subdivision was where the annals of communist movements were mainly scripted, Dhanbad Subdivision is mainly the stronghold of the red trade unions in contemporary history. Communists had become unstoppable during the pre-independence days itself. The foundation of the under-construction communist organizations was laid this way only. This, however, can not be denied that if at all there is any evolving overall presence of the Marxist or leftist traditions here in this district, the subsequent chapter of this after the conclusion of the previous chapter in Purulia in the fifties, must have taken shape in Dhanbad in the mid-sixties, through the sole enterprise of the patriarchal, diligent, virtuous, fearless and dauntless leader of Marxist Coordination Committee Arun Kumar Roy alias A K Roy. Endowed with genius, highly intellectual, perpetual experimenting and evolving, thoughtful, this living legend of avant-garde mind make up, has always featured in deliberations and remained in news in the political and intellectual class with his original ideology and multifarious activities in contexts of the strife of the oppressed proletariat, of indigenous colonialism, two-nation theory, moral purification etc. Detractors and rivals feared him, hold him in high esteem and his betenoire, the mafias, have always bent down in a gesture of bowing at his feet. Arun Kumar Roy was born on the 15th of June 1935 in Sapura village of Rajshahi district of then East Bengal. His father Shibesh Chandra Roy was an advocate by profession who had started his legal practice in Rajshahi Court, but later shifted to Dinajpur in 1960 and started practising in Raiganj Court. (He died in 1967 in the court premises after suffering a blackout). Arun Babu's mother was Renuka Roy (died in 2008). Arun Babu had been a brilliant student right from his early days. He matriculated in 1951 in the first division from the village school (Naogaon, Rajshahi) and took admission in the Belur Ram Krishna Mission School. He did his ISc from there and then graduated in Science from Surendra Nath College of Kolkata. He did his MSc (Tech) in 1959 in Chemical Engineering from Calcutta University. He started his vocation in an industrial house of Kolkata. After serving there for two years he joined as Research Engineer under the celebrated scientist Dr Kshitish Ranjan Chakraborty in 1961 in the newly established Planning & Development India Limited at Sindri of Dhanbad district. Since his early years he was an exponent of integrity and was an enthusiastic server of mankind. The home environs were also conductive. Though Sapura village fell within Rajshahi district, it was close to the border of Dinajpur. The two haats (rural markets) of Dinajpur, namely Shibpur and Shibdinghi were two hubs of political activities those days. Arun Babu's father and uncle were anti-British activists. Even his mother and aunt also had served time in prison for participation in freedom movement. This trait of nationalism had inbred itself in Arun Babu's persona. Arun Babu was first sentenced to jail in 1952 when he was just 15 years old for delivering an 'inciting' speech in support of vernacular movement at a gathering at the court premise near his house. The draconian Prevention Act of the then East Pakistan was administrated to imprison him for 2 months in Dhaka Central Jail. Bengali's of culture world had witnessed for the first time that one can serve jail sentence even martyred for the cause of one's mother tongue. Later as a student of the Science College also he had associated with the Vernacular Organization of the university. Nevertheless, real politic was not in Arun Babu's scheme of things. He took his vocation as a member of the elite group of scholars counting to a dozen dedicated, honest and nationalist youngmen at the Planning & Development wing of Sindri Fertilizer Factory under the able guidance of the widely venerated superintendent Dr Kshitish Ranjan Chakraborty (later adorned with 'Padmashree'). Nobody could foresee those days that the laconic, modest and snare short statured man would eventually turn out to be a colossal figure amongst the communists who would inshill a chill in the very heart of the notorious mafias. A few years later when a labour strike was conducted at Sindri Fertilizer Factory and the management resorted to temporary engage the P&D staff for plant operations to prevent losses, Arun Babu pineered a protest against the move. His contention was being that such a move would demoralise the workers and a grave injustice would be melted out to their lawful and justified demands. The P&D authorities were both baffled and unhappy over the issue and this was when it was thought of to sack him. However, the strike was shortlived and for the time being he escaped the sanction. The incident though pitched Roy Babu in limelight overnight. He became immensely popular among the factory workers. Even after this he raised his voice in support of the legitimate demands of the workers and also on the issue of declining standards of works on a few occasions. His stock kept on rising. With his tacit support and spurred by his ideologies the workers started to rally together. Simultaneously, driven by his ingrained empathy with the secular worldview, he had started a few study-centres in areas adjacent to Sindri and Beliapur to educate the villagers politically and socially. These pursuits Roy Babu gradually turned the P&D authorities and the local administration phobic and hostile towards him. Finally the administration was handed over the ruse to arrest him when the left-minded Socialists called for a 'Bihar Bandh' on 9th August 1966 in the cause of oppressed people and the Bandh getting an unforeseen success in the Sindri belt. Roy Babu was arrested the very next day as the Bandh was directed against the government and subsequently he lost his job. Riding on the wave of massive popular support Roy Babu just cast the issue of his job loss to the backburners. He joined the newly formulated CPI(M) forthwith and won the 1967 Assembly Election and 1969 midterm poll with a massive mandate from Sindri. Roy Babu was a witness to the four-year long bloodstained saga of 1967 to 1971. He had envisaged the Naxal Movement as the worthiest and most promising mass movement of the dreams of Indian middle class. Nevertheless, he did not join ranks with the Naxals, rather he wanted them as a stimulus in the proletariat revolution. He penned a stirring essay, 'Vote and Revolution', in the 'Frontier' in 1971, voicing the beneficial importance of this revolution with a view to align this tremendous force with the revolutionary principles of the CPI(M). CPI(M) leadership could not fathom the finer nuances of his subtle vista of the Naxal Movement.6 This resulted into his expulsion from CPI(M) the same year. Roy Babu already had a vast mass following. After coming out of CPI(M) he constituted 'Janavadi Sangram Samiti' and won the next Assembly Election again. 'Marxist Coordination Committee' or MCC was formed in 1972. Roy Babu's endeavours in and around the rural and mining belts of Dhanbad was largely peaceful but he was not averse to armed struggles when needed, to organize the peasants and the serf, empowering these have nots with the owner ship of farmland and cattles and to fulfil the rightful demands of the workers. His popularity and influence kept swelling in the villages, agricultural farms, factories and mills and coalfields because of his honesty, uprightness, undying efforts, organisational skill and indominable spirit. A true leader of workers and peasants was emerging fast which roiled the collective psyche of Dusadhs, Chamars, Telis, Kurmis, Rajwars, Ghatwals, Santhals, Mundas, tribals, even the Bengalis of Hirapur. Dhanbad had never had a leader of such stature. One by one rising leaders like Binod Bihari Mahato, Anand Mahato, Shibu Soren, Nirmal Mahato, Kripa Shankar Chatterjee, Gurudas Chatterjee etc. assembled under his banner, most of whom later on left their signature amongst people as acclaimed leaders. Spectre of the huge popularity of communism and the growing stature of A K Roy haunted even Indira Gandhi into desperation. Her 'line' was unmistakably defined. She had directed Chief Minister Gafur in a confidential memo to imprison the rioting communists and anti-Congress elements enmesh but leave alone the tribal or Jharkhandi activists of the mining areas. A U Sharma, the then DC of Dhanbad was a personal friend of Roy Babu, he read Indira's letter to him and alerted him that he was under constant surveillance. During Emergency Roy Babu was jailed very often and for about 6 years he was relegated into inaction. Shibu Soren also was imprisoned during the period but was released shortly. He went into an alliance with Congress. However, the alliance proved to be a red herring, neither Shibu, nor Congress could reap any benefit from it. Roy Babu won the Parliamentary Election of 1977 with a huge margin with the support of Jai Prakash Narayan and the Janata Party. He won the election of 1980 also. Uptil now Roy Babu had commanded the support of different Jharkhandi, left and Janata alliance in the electoral frays. He continually won three Assembly and two Parliamentary elections. However, he had to taste defeat for the first time in the Parliamentary elections of 1984, mainly due to his own apathy to the politics of profit monpering, the consolidation of imperialist forces against him and the isolation and alienation of some henchmen from his party. He was defeated by Shankar Dayal Singh of Congress (I). Though he won the next election in 1989 but the parliament was dissolved after two years in office. Roy Babu had already had a difference of opinion with Binod Bihari Mahato on the issue of 'Lalkhand'. In the nineties Kripa Shankar Chatterjee left MCC and joined Congress (I). Apprehensions and incredibility about Gurudas Chatterjee had cropped up in 1995 but before a resolution could be arrived at Gurudas was murdered by the mafia on 14 April 2000 and was consigned from the political scenery of Dhanbad for ever. The undeniable fact is that Roy Babu is till date the championing pathfinder of the campaigns and crusades of the oppressed masses of Dhanbad coalfields and adjoining areas. He has played a very significant role right from the onset of Jharkhand movement. Jharkhand Mukti Morcha came in to being in 1973 with Roy Babu as it's hidden head priest. This is the most relevant, widely acclaimed and mass based party in the political theatre of Jharkhand movement till date. Two frontiers men who emerged during the advent of the Morcha intended with Roy Babu were Binod Bihari Mahato of 'Shibaji Samaj' and Shibu Soren of 'Sanat Samaj'. As per hearsay, both of them had their apprenticeship under the tutelage of Roy Babu. During his literacy drive around Sindri-Beliapur region, Roy Babu had Binod Bihari Mahato, Shibu Soren, Anand Mahato, Kripa Shankar Chatterjee et al as his cohorts and comrades. Roy Babu had envisaged a movement named 'Lalkhand-Jharkhand' to begin with. But instead he formed Marxist Coordination Committee after renouncing CPI(M). Mean while Shibu Soren, Binod Mahato, Nirmal Mahato etc. flared up the movement of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. Roy Babu's political bigotry and his aversion abdicate and fight for bilge may be analysed in future. But at present, to quote him, he is continuing through his process of traits and tribulations with this 'experimental forum' named Marxist Coordination Committee. But even now his party of committee is in a state of uncertainty with it's makings and breakings, so it is totally hard to find his spirit of brilliant aestheticism and his unwavering philosophical style in most of his associates. Some of his comrades and followers, having second thoughts about his ideology and style of functioning and fearing their own survival, have left MCC and embraced other established political parties. As stated before, during Emergency Shibu Soren tied knots with Congress. Roy Babu and Binod Bihari Mahato had difference on the issue of 'Lalkhand'. During nineties Kripa Shankar Chatterjee joined Congress after leaving MCC. Since 1995 misgivings about Gurudas Chatterjee had started brewing, but before any decision could be taken, Gurudas was murdered and was forever lost from political theatre of Dhanbad. Although, Gurudas's son Arup Chatterjee is now with MCC and he had won the seat of Nirsa in the Jharkhand Assembly Election of 2000. At present Arup is the President of both, 'Marxvadi Yuva Morcha' and 'Jharkhand Colliery Kamgar Union'. Roy Babu and his other comrades – Anand Mahato, Gurudas Chatterjee and Arup Chatterjee – had till recently been supported by various Jharkhandi, left and Janata alliance in the electoral engagements. Roy Babu himself went on winning four assembly and three parliamentary elections without a break. Still, alienation with some party stalwarts, his aversion to the polity of self gratification and the antagonism of combined forces of emperical bias resulted into his defeat in the last few elections. - Written by AJIT ROY A.K. Roy Talk about here |title=Candidate |body=15th Lok Sabha |constituency=Dhanbad (JH) Lok Sabha Constituency |affiliation=Marxist Co-Ordination }} | place= | ?Constituency = }} }}